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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. deal — to handle
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com